Simplot Co. announces three plant closures; 800 to lose jobs

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NAMPA, Idaho - The Simplot Company has announced plans to close three potato processing plants in the next couple of years.

About 800 employees are expected to lose their jobs.

The company says it plans to close its plants in Nampa, Caldwell and Aberdeen in the next "two to three years."

The closure comes on the company's plans to build a new 380,000-square-foot plant, which will be built on the current Caldwell site, said Bill Whitacre, Simplot CEO.

"We struggled with this very difficult decision and we know the closures will have an impact on many of our employees and their families," Whitacre said.

Most of the job losses will not occur until the closure of the three existing plants.

The new plant will employ about 250 people. Simplot has not said how much the new facility will cost, however, company officials described the finances as "the largest single investment the company has ever made in Idaho."